Coconut Village Boat and Hoi An City Tour

Cam Thanh coconut village

Cam Thanh is a quiet fishing and farming village a short drive from Hoi An, known for its water coconut forest and its round bamboo basket boats. You ride through the palm-lined channels with a local paddler, watch basket-boat skills and try paddling yourself. It is a relaxed introduction to village life that contrasts with the busy Ancient Town later in the day.

Many travellers search for a coconut village boat tour in Hoi An because it is easy, photogenic and suits all ages. The basket boat ride is included, and the ticket for very young children under 4 is not included, so tell us if you travel with a toddler. Bring sunscreen and a hat, as there is little shade on the water.

Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An Ancient Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a preserved trading port where Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese influences meet. Your guide walks you past the Japanese Covered Bridge, a symbol of the town, the Cantonese Assembly Hall with its carvings and colours, Tan Ky Ancient House, a merchant house around 200 years old, and the Museum of Trade Ceramics, which tells the port's story through objects.

The Hoi An Traditional Performing Arts House offers a folk performance, but its programme is undergoing renovation and may be suspended, so the schedule can change. The best time to visit Hoi An Ancient Town is late afternoon and evening, when the heat fades and lanterns light the streets, which is exactly how this tour is organised. Entrance fees for the town are included on the afternoon tour.

Hoai River boat ride and lantern release

After sunset, you take a boat ride on the Hoai River, the waterway that runs along the Old Town. Lanterns glow along the banks and reflect in the water, and you release a lantern on the river with a wish for good luck. It is the most photographed moment of many Hoi An days, and it explains why so many people ask what to do in Hoi An in the evening.

Keep your phone secure, wear comfortable shoes and follow the boatman's instructions when releasing the lantern. After the ride there is free time to walk around the night market and the lantern-lit lanes before the return drive. Drop-off is around 18:30 in Hoi An and around 19:30 in Da Nang on the afternoon tour.

Lady Buddha, Marble Mountains and Am Phu Cave (full-day option)

The full-day option starts at 8:00 and adds a morning of sights between Da Nang and Hoi An. You visit the Lady Buddha at Linh Ung Pagoda, a 67-metre statue with views of Da Nang bay, then the Marble Mountains, five limestone hills with caves and pagodas, and Am Phu Cave, a cave whose carvings depict the Buddhist underworld.

This option lasts about eleven hours, and includes a walk through the Ancient Town with local food and the boat ride and lantern release on the Hoai River. Wear comfortable shoes for the steps and cover your shoulders and knees at the pagodas. Which option should you choose? Take the afternoon tour for a shorter day, or the full-day tour to combine Da Nang's sights with Hoi An.